


there's going to be a feast

by ambition



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - Historical, Attempt at Humor, Drugs, Gen, Mystery, Period Typical Attitudes, Period-Typical Racism, References to Drugs, Signals, Tree Climbing, manor, this is a trainwreck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-19 03:06:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19967005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambition/pseuds/ambition
Summary: The old Holt manor is located on a dwarf hill, in the outskirts of town Vigilance, and the new occupants – the reserved and peculiar Shiroganes – have built a massive wall around it. But such high walls surely can’t be for nothing, as Pidge and Rolo decide to investigate and uncover the mystery.





	there's going to be a feast

They loved the smell of smoke, it’s crispy scent crawling through their noses and mouths. It was common in Vigilance in all shapes and forms. Smoke was the sign of life and action, the rush and the thrill. Secret whispers in candlelight, the sting of betrayed fingertips, a lit match, ignited firewood, blazing forest fire, smoldering bonfire – a careless mistake. And, as of recently, it was found hiding in dark alleyways, lurking in tucked away treehouses and teenage bunkers, covered in dirt and leaves. A tray of smoke leaking upwards from a joint, passed from one hand to another, fingers shaking in giddiness, hushed giggles coming from their mouths. 

„There’s going to be a feast,” someone had said, and they decided to take a look. It didn’t matter what was taking place or why, the purpose or intent of it, what mattered was the fact that something was happening at all. They slowly gathered, black night and only a single pale polar star above them. As they neared the hill, they saw a torch lit path and followed it.

The 4-meter-high Latin cross burned bright against the dark forest, the sun long since disappeared by its tree tops. Aggressive flames licked the sky with hunger, burning the fresh oxygen and producing harmful carbon dioxide, robbing the townsfolk of their breathing air, their common sense, their compassion.

There were people standing near the cross, dressed in white costumes, fully covered except their bare palms and eyes, shining through the cut holes of a white hood. One of them spoke, and the townsfolk took the words as a truth, as undeniable facts. They became dogmas and breathed new meaning into their lives.

“Cross is an inspiration, a symbol of faith, hope and love. We do not burn; we light the cross.”

_ Burning is in their nature, but fine, whatever, see if the substitute works. _

***

„Would you have some free time at the evening?”

She looks up from her notebook and sees the son of their new neighbors, leaning on yards wooden fence, idle smirk covering his face. He along with his parents moved in about a month ago. Matt probably could’ve already written a five pages long essay about them, full of observations, theories and speculations and a book trilogy, if he collaborated with the rest of this foolish, noisy town.

She hasn’t really paid attention to them and doesn’t even know the guy’s name. Most likely Matt would cry, if he knew about his sister’s disinterest.

„What would you need my time for?”

„Oh, you know, just talking, maybe grabbing a snack at Sunny’s...” 

So, a date is what he is after.

„Well, unless you can tell me some new, juicy gossip about the Shiroganes...”

This is a running joke in their town. Everyone knows practically nothing about the people of that house, and there is no way this guy knows more than Pidge or, for the matter of fact, anyone else. Her answer is a clear no, she doesn’t want to spend time with him, it’s never happening. However, he seems to see this as a challenge.

„And what would you like to know?”

The question makes her think. What  _ did _ she want to know about them? Sure, if asked anyone else, take Pidge’s family, for example, they would be ready to yell a hundred questions right on the spot. They were a bit obsessed with Shiroganes, to be honest. However, Pidge had never been really enthusiastic about the cause.

Pidge’s family had a more personal interest in Shiroganes than the rest of the citizens of Vigilance. The manor they had settled in once had belonged to the Holts – her father’s side of the family. Pidge’s father had grown up there, but due to the enormous debts of Pidge’s grandfather, the family had to sell their manor. They moved to a cheap, reserved house only half a kilometer away and had to adapt to a much simpler lifestyle. The new, worn out wooden cottage, 2 stories high, with small, foul windows, had needed repairing - a fresh coat of paint, a change of doors and so on. It was constant work – burning firewood every day in order to contain warmth in rooms or pulling heavy water buckets from the deep well. With no more servants to order around, they had to do every chore by themselves. Holts lost all their luxuries, even their car – a fancy Model T Ford.

To Sam, a child raised in vast wealth, who was used to getting everything he wanted, this change was hard and heart-breaking.

Getting a house so near the manor – a constant reminder of their loss of prosperity – also probably was a bad idea. Holts could see it from their kitchen window, manor being the first thing they saw in mornings, walking downstairs from a good night’s sleep, or sitting down at the kitchen table, lunch ready, after a hard-working day.

The family still lived in the cottage.

The manor was a childhood fairytale, heard hundred times. Her father had told her about the bright halls, cherished flower gardens, the excitement of sliding down the long staircase railings. Manor felt familiar and unreachable, and unknown at the same time. It tempted her a bit.

„The real question is – how are you going to provide me the new information? You can’t just waltz in through the front gate, knock at their door three times and plead them to spill their beans,” she says.

He seems to already have his answer, as if he has previously contemplated about it (which, if he wants to be a proper citizen of this town, he has to).

„Very simple – I am going to climb a tree.”

„As if,” she snorts, stands up, gathers her notes and leaves veranda, walking into the house.

***

The old Holt manor was a large, two story high building with sandstone walls and small mullioned windows. It was located on a dwarf hill in the middle of a meadow, the groomed field crops long since perished, the land now filled with wildflowers and low shrubs. The hill warned the townsfolk of nights arrival, every evening the sun making its way down behind it, dropping long and dark shadows, encircling manor in darkness.

After the death of Ruth McLaggen, an elderly lady, the owner to whom Holts had sold the manor originally, her distant relative (she had no kids, and no one had any idea that she had any relatives at all), a tall, buff guy named Takashi Shirogane came to inspect the manor.

He also came down to the town center and stopped at the Sunny’s. Cafe's wood exterior was a bit faded, especially the sign– it was missing two of its letters, cause being the old peeled off paint, creating word “Snys”. However, the café was clean and cozy, its windows washed clean, table cloths unstained and chairs steady and firm. Merlas hard-working nature had kept café alive and well liked among the townsfolk, creating it the heart of Vigilance. 

It was the cathedral of gossip - men and women, children and elders, locals and travelers - everyone liked to stop by. Tired visitors from far away relaxed there with a soup spoon in one hand, ale in the other, unfolding the dramatic events of distant lands, warm liquids loosening their tongues, making them spill secrets much easier.

Mr. Shirogane was a sweet eye candy to all the unmarried (and also not so single) ladies and once had entered the Sunny’s was immediately encircled by the womenfolk. The men, only by bit less curious, had enough dignity to stay away, piercing Mr. Shiroganes skull with their looks from afar. He didn’t answer to any of the intrusive questions the ladies gave him, instead flashing a kind smile and saying: „I am sure we’ll have enough time later to get to know each other.”

He turned up again a week later with the last train, as the sun scraped the horizon, painting sky in various red hues. His arrival almost went unnoticed, only seen by a group of teenagers on their late way home. They claimed Mr. Shirogane had brought along 4 more people, one woman and 3 men. What was more shocking – they swore that the skin color of the women and one of the men was brown.

Pidge had felt sorry. Vigilance was going to be insufferable for them.

***

The neighbor’s name was Rolo and he, as Pidge now had learned, was very persistent. He didn’t back down as she had expected him to, instead returning at her house a few hours later. Rolo had scouted the territory around the manor and had found an oak. The tree had deep seated its roots in the ground near the fence and its dense foliage went far over it into the garden.

She admittedly has no interest in Rolo, and although she thinks this mission is sooner going to land them in trouble rather than end in success, his offer to stalk the Shiroganes is too tempting to resist.

„Do it for science,” Matt would say. He’d also shit his pants in glee, if this tree mission gets them new information.

They had a whole plan though out.

_ „I am going to climb that oak, and the first signal is going to be one flash of light, so you know I am up there and safe. If I don’t see them, and nothing is happening, I flash again. If I see them and they’re doing something illegal or interesting, I flash multiple times.” _

_ „And what if they’re there and not doing anything peculiar and out of ordinary? I mean, they are just people and could be stuffing their mouths at dinner or standing around a rotten banana in a circle and singing the anthem.” _

_ „That’d be pretty weird.” _

_ „You get my point.” _

_ „Not really, because that would be  _ really _ fucking weird.” _

_ „Fine, then imagine that mouth stuffing.” _

_ „OK, I’ll admit I didn’t imagine them doing something normal.” Of course, he didn’t. _

***

The first thing the newcomers had done was build a 3 m high brick poles along the perimeter, empty space between them soon filled with nailed wood battens.

The wall hid the Shiroganes everyday life activities without flaw. The only parts of the manor that could be seen from the flat meadow and the town was its cross-gable roofs and chimneys, grey smoke coming out of them. It bugged the townsfolk, as it reaped them from the chance of spying and judging. It was an unpleasant change, as they were used to knowing all the motives behind the most recent fight between good neighbors, the most scandalous break-up or the costs of the new flashy car right down the street.

In a town such as Vigilance the rumors had to be made, no matter the circumstances. Real facts or no, people craved for something new and disturbing, dramatic and exciting to discuss. If the rumors couldn’t be based on real observations, they were pulled out of a thin air.

***

After a boring hour of yet another informative lecture about the dangers of drugs, students finally had been free, and the teacher let them go early. As Pidge exited the school building, she heard a group of peers snickering behind her, mocking the lecturer, and she felt an herbal odor hit her nose. She fastened her pace and hurried down the stairs into the streets of downtown.

A tall, young man had caught her eye. He was dressed in a button up shirt with a plaid striped jacket above it. It was undone, and one of the buttons was missing. He wasn't being let in Sunny’s. One look at him and Pidge understood why.

The warm brown color of his skin stood out easily in the crowd, filled with pale men and women.

“I don’t need your money,” Merla had scoffed, standing in the cafés doorstep, her back straight, face determined.

“Your misspelled café sign begs to differ,” the man said. “But what do  _ I _ understand about the sacred art of spelling, right?”

“Never argue with a fool, people might not know the difference,” she said.

A small crowd was gathering around them, but Merla ended the conversation with a loud bang - she shot the door, bell making a sudden ear-piercing sound.

The man stood for a moment, face straight, then turned around and started marching to the west. 

***

Pidge is sitting on her window sill, legs swinging outside, warm night breeze mixing her hair. She is tired and sleepy. Rolo had come late in the evening.

It's quiet, as if humans didn't exist, their endless chatter has calmed down, everyone resting at home, ready to go to bed. Only meadow grasshoppers and a gentle wind, ruffling leaves, can be heard, long birch branches swaying left and right. It's pitch black outside and thick clouds cover the sky, not letting the starlight through. Pidge is waiting for his signal.

She closes her eyes for a moment and sags against the open window frame. There’s no harm in doing that, because Rolo left just a minute ago and it’ll take some time for him to get to the oak.

At some point there’s a dim yellow light shining from the flashlight afar. It’s sudden and short, and at the morning Pidge is not even sure, whether she saw it at all.

***

_ „No... No, no- this is bad, this is very bad.” _

_ „What did you do outside?” _

_ „I- we- what are we going to do with that body?” _

_ „Keith, what did you find outside?” _

_ „I’m so, so sorry, I panicked and I just ran and-” _

_ „Cops will get us, I am a bad actor, a terrible liar, they’ll see right through me-” _

_ “Shit, if they swarm this place, it’s over for us.” _

_ „I cut a few oak branches down.” _

_ „You did what?!” _

_ „Oh, this is fantastic, if we weren’t guilty before, now we definitely are.” _

_ „Did you saw anybody else there, Keith?” _

_ „I, no - nobody was there.” _

_ „I have never seen that boy before in town.” _

_ „Maybe he was alone and nobody knew where he went. Oh, god, please let it be the case here.” _

_ „Wait, what do you mean by branches? How many did you cut?” _

_ „About five.” _

_ „Great, right, every damn good-for-climbing branch close to the fence-” _

_ „I’m sorry-” _

_ „We couldn’t be more at fault even if we tried!” _

__

***

Pidge is sure, without doubt, that Rolo is going to look for her. He’s going to come, whistling a carefree tune, arms swinging, flash his wide smile, it spreading from ear to ear, and declare that she owes him a date. She is going to sigh, knowing full well that guys like Rolo won’t just tell her everything right away, swallow her pride and growing annoyance and agree to pay him a visit at Sunny’s.

So, Pidge readies herself, grabs a lemonade, her school notes and a few books and settles down in veranda. However, a few hours pass, sun is almost at its highest point in the sky, and there is no sign of him. She tells herself not to worry. However, when the sun is slowly nearing the manor’s rooftops, she can’t stay indifferent anymore.

She walks over to the neighbor’s house, but it’s still and silent. Pidge knocks, but the door stays closed. Where are they?

She stumbles back, unease unleashing its cutches, it clings to her like a moth to a flame. Why didn’t she see those signals? She fell asleep. Why didn’t he come to her and wake her up? Why didn’t call out her name, in a hushed voice, cautious not to wake up the Holts, then louder, then further louder, why not throw a rock or a tree branch?

Pidge runs. She runs because no one knows these people, no one really, truly  _ knows  _ them. Runs because they’re mysterious, reserved, unapproachable. The Shiroganes are a new player, foreign and strange, at an old game, they’re unpredictable and it makes them dangerous. Is there a legitimate reason townsfolk give the Shiroganes an evil eye? Or it is just gossip and jealousy, prejudice and distrust, spite and possessiveness?

But she is not aware and not informed. She hasn’t kept her eyes opened, ears ready to listen and pick up information at loud drunken conversations, hushed whispers or student chatter. She has heard the loud rumors, the big ones, don’t get her wrong! It is impossible not to. But what are the reasons, the origins of them, who started them, which young lady saw something, the maid or the seamstress, what friend did she tell it to? Which man thinks he heard someone saying that someone said that Mr. Shirogane said that…

Pidge has been sitting around, reading those damned books at home, minding her own business, stressing over Matt. Matt! If he had just been around… The last troops from Europe were supposed to have already sailed, the men back at their homeland…

She runs, all the houses, forest and meadow, street cars and people become a blur around her. Sunny’s! If something’s happened, it’ll surely be discussed there. It’s right after the next corner…

A person. Pidge crashes into a girl, making them both trip backwards and land on their asses. A basket the girl was holding flies through the air, all apples falling out and rolling in all directions possible. Some land on the road and a car runs over two fruit with a low noise, squishing them.

“I am so, so sorry, I was in a hurry,” Pidge says and with frantic hands tries to gather the rolling apples. “I can buy-” she looks up and stops. It’s Rolos sister, Pidge doesn’t know her name, but she has seen her around the neighborhood, it’s her.

She looks tired, hair uncombed and eyes wide from shock of the sudden fall.

“Where’s Rolo?” Pidge whispers.

“Did you see him yesterday? He’s not home, not anywhere in Vigilance, I looked everywhere, asked his school acquaintances. No one has seen him after myself, after family supper we had yesterday,” she speaks fast, and Pidge barely follows.

Pidge is the last person that saw Rolo. He was climbing a tree in purpose of stalking the manor. He hasn’t come back. No one has seen him. She saw him last. Shit.  _ Shit. _

Later Pidge learns that his sister’s name is Nyma. Pidge tells her everything, their plan, tree climbing and how she fell asleep, and they come to an agreement – they have to take action _now_.

They’re going to need new attires.

***

Pidge recognizes him from the Sunny’s incident weeks prior.

“I am Katie Holt, Vigilance state police officer, here to investigate the disappearance of Rolo Carter,” she says.

To her demise, he’s no idiot.

“Can you show documents?”

She did predict this, but what could she have done? Fake documents in a few minutes, scratching her name on a carboard card?

“I don’t need to prove you anything,” an utter lie, she tries to bullshit, but to no avail. He isn’t impressed.

“Uh, actually, yes, you do.”

Time to bring out the big guns.

“Okay, listen carefully, you schmuck.”

And also do some blind shooting in the dark.

“I know Rolo fell, and I know you did some tree cutting afterwards, so, you either let us in for a nice investigation chit chat, or we tell everybody what happened, and you can bet your skinny ass, they will come running and create a riot right at your doorstep, disturbing your sweet beauty sleep.”

He flinches, but recovers quickly and his lips form a sly, cold smile.

“Nice to meet you too, come in please,” he says and steps aside. “The name’s Lance.”

Looks like she wasn’t wrong about the fall, after all.

They enter, and the gates behind them bang close with a rumbling thud. A stone pavement, with grass stems here and there growing in between, is making its way uphill to the front door. There are no flower gardens, as Pidge had anticipated, no blooming bushes or colorful tulip compositions, the majority of yards area is taken by 3 big greenhouses, all next to each other, covered with black tarpaulin, fixed at the corners with nails, beaten in the land.

They enter the manor, and it’s dark and gloomy, all doors down the hallway are closed, and the only light comes from the living room at the right. Lance leads them there, and the light blinds her for a moment.

A tall, slim woman is standing at the window, gazing outside, her back against them, snow white hair being a vibrant contrast against her dark brown skin. As they enter, she turns, greets them with a slack face and sits on the couch.

Pidge sees that her neutrality is forced, as the woman is undoubtedly nervous, fidgeting her hands, wrapping a sewing thread around her fingers and letting out a long sigh.

“Keith! Come downstairs, the cops have come!” Lance shouts.

There’s silence, then Pidge hears rumbling steps, as someone upstairs walks down a hallway, then stairs creaking. A pale skinned man with a black mullet comes into the room. He sees them and stops short, confusion visible in his eyes. “They ain’t no cops,” he says.

“No shit,” Lance replies.

They look at each other for a moment, then the Mullet turns his gaze at the woman. They seem to have a silent conversation with no sounds and angry glares. They are fighting with their eyes alone and sending signals using body language, and after a while they seem to come to a conclusion.

A silence even heavier settles in the room. The only sound Pidge hears is her heart hammering against her chest.

“We don’t have to do this,” Lance says in a low voice.

Pidge catches his gaze, sees his wide eyes, mouth in a thin line. It finally hits her. Storming in the enemy’s den, unprotected and full of lies, might not have been her brightest idea. A cold dread shoots through whole her body and Pidge feels paralyzed and unable to move.

Lance turns his head sideways and looks at the floor. Keith murmurs a quiet apology. A brown moth, covered with a few black spots, leaps blindly at the glass window in hopes to get out. Outside in the distance a flock of geese is cackling, warning about their return.

There’s a click.

**Author's Note:**

> My apologies, the historical elements may not be very accurate and should not be taken as facts.  
> Comments and feedback is appreciated!


End file.
